Once Upon A Time Serie 01
by Houlme
Summary: [Multi-shots]"[...]Takeru looked the books over before glancing blankly at the twins. "Then I'll tell you Cinderella's tale." Heath put his hand over Takeru's mouth before his underclassman could utter the word "stride" he used in every sentence when those didn't involve the word "Protein" or both. "I'll start! I'll do a retelling of this awesome tale." Offered Heath."
1. TALE 0: Once Upon A Time

It was now of a weekly occurrence that the Honan stride team would always and without fail, meet up every Saturday afternoons and hang out at each other's houses, switching hosts every week. This Saturday, most of the team was heading to Ayumu's home. During these small gatherings, they simply watched movies or listened to Hozumi's endless one-man-show.

The runners loved going to Ayumu's house as much as Nana's. The main reason behind it was because of how well they snacked there, eating as if their own mothers malnourished them back at home.

Hozumi ran ahead of his friends and was greeted first by a sorry Ayumu. The boys were soon joined by the rest of the team.

"Hey guys." He said trying to mask his dejection. "I―We have a bit of a problem today."

Just as Ayumu finished his phrase, he felt a small weight gripping his right arm with vivacious energy and his left arm was already threatening to tear away from its rightful place. Hozumi glanced down before his lips curled up into a warm, kind smile. "Who are they? I thought you didn't have any younger siblings!" he exclaimed.

Ayumu shook his head in denial as he caressed the children's heads, mindlessly. "No. They are my cousins! My aunt just moved here and she lives a few blocks away from our house so―"

"―So she thinks it's perfect that her nephew lives close by if she ever needs someone to babysit her kids?" Finished Heath, eyebrow raised and an amused smirk playing on his face.

The children were probably no older than five. Two boys who were carbon copies of each other. Twins. Higher than a hamster, the little boys looked like the definition of "Angelic". Their face was just round of baby fat with rosy cheeks and small plucky little mouths. While dressed quite differently, the two boys had dirty blue eyes with pale, blond, wavy hair. Truly cute.

"Hey, it's fine, we can help you take care of them." Reassured Riku. Nana nodded as well, seemingly excited to get to know the children. "I agree, it's no problem. Well, at least not for Riku-kun and me?" She added, obviously unsure about her seniors' choices and Takeru's.

"Kyosuke can deal with it. Children love him." Joked Heath.

"Not really."

"See? So humble." Laughed the British teen "But seriously, I don't mind that much but I have zero experience with kids, just a small warning."

Quickly enough, all teenagers agreed on helping Ayumu babysit his little cousins, Ichiro and Kaze.

Ichiro, the older of the two, was a true hurricane. Full of energy and life, he was always up for games and running around when it wasn't for making a mess out of Ayumu's house. On the other hand, Kaze was calmer and less agitated but also a bit of a crybaby. However, he was quick to join his brother in various activities that would cause havoc around them.

The twins really did manage to tire the whole team out. Well, most of them just ran after the two boys, obviously knowing next to nothing about how to deal with children. The only ones who managed to make themselves heard were Nana, Hozumi and Kyosuke. Ayumu and Riku were too easy to trample on while Heath was sometimes too impulsive, which amused the children. Takeru was...Takeru.

"These little devils need a freaking nap! How can they have this much energy? I bet they could still run a marathon or three here―" complained Heath as he let himself fall on the sofa. It has only been one hour and Ayumu's mother had things to take care of, leaving them alone to take care of the kids. No help. Nothing. "You're right! It's almost two―I think it's time for them to calm a bit." Agreed Ayumu.

Nana pondered a moment as she gazed at Kyosuke who was obviously mastering the art of parenting, allowing the rest of the team to catch their breath. Even Hozumi, eldest of one big family, looked exhausted. It was true that the older teen knew his way with children. "Oh! I know! Why not read them a story while I make us some snacks?-If Ayumu allows me to use the kitchen of course." Suggested the twin-tailed girl with a grin.

The boys quickly thanked Nana for her idea―mostly for snacks actually. "Let's take the kids to your room then. You must surely have some books there." Recommended Heath as he glanced over at Ayumu. "I probably have some left yeah."

All settled, the stride team left Nana to her task. Once in Ayumu's room, Hozumi looked up his bookshelves for stories that might pick the children's interest. A nice stack of them was fine and soon enough, they were asking the twins to choose which book they would like to read-until the boys got capricious.

"No. Dun want to." Refused Ichiro as he crossed his chubby little arms.

Hozumi arched an eyebrow "Why? Look, these are all nice stories! I think..."

The twins shook their head in disagreement.

Kyosuke ruffled the boys' hair before softly asking "If you don't like these, which do you prefer?"

Ichiro and Kaze looked at each other before the older of two answered "These are old."

Heath hummed in amusement. "Oh. True, Ayumu's selection is a bit weird."

Hozumi laughed as he looked over the books he brought out. "Well, I don't see any classic tales here anyway."

Ayumu huffed, explaining that those books were, in fact, his father's children books.

Takeru looked the books over before glancing blankly at the twins. "Then I'll tell you Cinderella's tale."

Heath put his hand over Takeru's mouth before his underclassman could utter the word "stride" he used in every sentence when those didn't involve the word "Protein" or both. "I'll start! I'll do a retelling of this awesome tale." Offered Heath.

The British teen coughed in preparation as the twins snuggled into Kyosuke's arms. The rest of the team, each grabbed a pillow and made themselves comfortable, obviously excited to hear Heath's story.


	2. TALE 01, PARTITION 1: Cinderella

" _Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, lived a young, beautiful girl. She was by far, the prettiest and kindest across the country._

 _The young girl, was a lady, the daughter of a rich merchant. The merchant loved his daughter as much as he loved his wonderful wife. Although his face didn't show it because he looked like some kind of a stone-faced, shady guy with glasses―_ "

"Heath." Warned Kyosuke, much to the children's amusement.

"That's my story so wait until it's your turn." Retorted Heath before clearing his throat and resuming his tale " _As I was saying, The young girl's father was kind and loving at heart but didn't know how to express his feelings well._

 _Despite that, his wife and child felt cherished and loved nonetheless. Unfortunately, the merchant's wife fell ill and one day, she died, leaving her husband and daughter, mourning her disappearance._ "

At this point, the children whined slightly as Kyosuke gave them a reassuring pat in the back.

" _The merchant, worried that his wonderful daughter would grow up without a mother and ended up marrying another woman of high nobility, called Diane._ " Continued Heath.

"What the―" exclaimed Hozumi

"Shhhh" scolded the twins "Is she the nasty mom?" Asked the youngest, Kaze.

Heath tilted his head and hesitated a moment before answering "Yes but not super nasty-nasty."

Ichiro jolted up in protest. "No! She has to be nasty. Second moms are always nasty."

Heath gulped, already glaring at Hozumi who would surely be the one telling on him.

"Aah―Yes. Anyway. _Lady Diane, however, already had two daughters from a previous marriage. Lady Shauna and Lady Riko. Those daughters were beautiful but not as kind and pretty as their new sister._

 _One sad day, the rich merchant, although newly married, had to leave for a long trip, away from his beloved daughter. After he not-really-tearfully left his whole family to attend to his business―_ " Heath glanced over, proud that Kyosuke didn't interrupt " _―his dear daughter remained with her step-mother and sisters._

 _Now. The young daughter was called Nana, a cute child with long, silky brown hair, skin white as snow and lips red as―_ "

"You are confusing your tales senpai." Remarked Riku.

"Was that your only observation?" Joked Hozumi.

The twins happily stared at Heath in anticipation. Heath chuckled before he continued " _Well. Nana was a really pretty girl but also a very loveable and kind one. She was lively and polite but also generous and always ready to help. It was true that her sisters were jealous and envied not only her looks but also her heart._

 _Lady Diane, much like her own daughters, hated Nana. Soon after her husband's departure, she made Nana change rooms, took away all her beautiful gowns and dresses, confiscated her precious jewelry and made her into nothing but a maid. The poor_ Nana, _was then asked to move into a small, dusty room in the roof. Lady Diane, happy with her choice, made Nana do all the chores._

 _She cleaned, dusted, cooked, sewed and was treated horribly. It was during one of her ashes cleaning duty that her sisters came up with the horrible nickname, Cinderella. Despite this treatment and as the years went by, Nana started growing into a beautiful girl, in spite of her worn-out clothes and old shoes._ "

Heath made a small pause to let his audience thirst a bit. The twins were still, but almost murdering as he understood that they wanted him to continue. Even Takeru seemed quite into it. Proud and impressed, Heath praised himself for his story-telling skills.

" _One day, during one of Nana's outings to the nearby village, she met a weird boy with dark blue hair and blank gaze. The boy was called Takeru, an apprentice of the best blacksmith in the village. Takeru was taking a break with his best friend, a stupi―I mean,_ nice _guy called Riku, also his greatest rival. Both boys were arguing at the village's central place, making people worry about them._ "

"Why are they fighting?" Asked Kaze, tearfully.

"Don't worry, I'll tell you." Reassured Heath " _The villagers were used to the boys' banter but today, they exchanged so many hurtful words that they were concerned about their friendship._

 _Nana, kind as she was, couldn't stand the boys' dispute. Thus, she came close to them and tried to appease them. "Dear future blacksmith, what is troubling you so?" She asked with her sweet voice. Riku, the more talkative of the two remained quiet._

 _"My former friend abandoned me. After so many years, he decided to leave me and our master. He is giving up and I'm giving him a piece of my mind. With his attitude, he is losing to me and will never be able to catch to his successful old brother." Explained Takeru._

 _Nana sadly glanced over at Riku, whom, taken with anger, respond "I have never asked to be here! You dragged me in this workshop, claiming I had talent and potential! It is most true that I'll never catch up to my hateful brother and now, here you are leaving ahead as well."_ "

By then, Kaze started sobbing softly.

"Hey! You made my brother cry-cry!" Huffed Ichiro, hands pressed into fists, ready to tackle Heath.

Kyosuke ruffled the crying boy's hair and held him against him a moment. "It's okay. You will see that everything will turn out fine. Don't you want to hear what happens next?"

Kaze sniffed and nodded a yes before he brushed a last tear away with his sleeves.

Heath glanced apologetically at his best friend but also at his two underclassmen who smiled at him mockingly.

Hozumi, running out of patience, elbowed his captain and brought him back to the story.

"Err-right sorry. Where was I? Ah! Yes." Heath cleared his throat once more " _So, Nana, heard the stories of both village boys. Saddened by such pain, she smiled nonetheless and brought the boys closer._

 _"Dear friends. I have always seen you working so hard under your master's guidance. Without giving up, you pushed your limits and proved how much of fighters you both were. Each one of you has its one time to progress and improvement comes with hard work and practice. Look at your master, his eyes full of pride over you two." She sweetly praised before her expression turned into a frown._

 _"However, Takeru was wrong to compare you to anyone while you were wrong to believe it and call your brother hateful. Success comes from sweat and that is how you started and shall both continue." She added before turning to Riku "Dear Riku, if Takeru and your master were by your side until know, it's because you indeed have skill and talent, which you should nurture the best you can."―_ "

Suddenly the door creaked open, revealing Nana with a tray of glasses. "Sorry for interrupting-I'm not done yet but I thought I would bring you something to drink for the moment." She apologized.

Riku stormed to her side in an instant, the suggestion of drinks gratefully welcomed by the whole bunch of boys. Heath was especially thirsty and in dire need of hydration.

"Thanks Nana-chan!" Whistled Hozumi.

The young girl smiled before returning to her task and leaving her team staring at Heath in anticipation.

The twins though, gazed at her for a long while before one of them exclaimed "Cinderella!". The children looked at each other excitedly, the same way one would react upon meeting their long-time idol.

This cute reaction earned them fond chuckles from the teenage boys before Heath coughed, getting back the attention he needed to continue his story.

"Ugh― _Thanks to the kind Nana, the two friends made up and forgot their argument. To show their gratitude, they promised to help her whenever she was in need. With this, the young lady took care of her groceries and returned to her house. A few days later, her mother decided to make her daughters take part in the town's annual summer pageant as spring just begun. She ordered Nana to follow them as they shopped for the grand event, rumors saying that the royal family would attend._ "

The last few words made the twins' eyes shine. In a fairy tale, whenever a royal family was mentioned, it always meant either princesses or princes were involved and in this case, it would surely be related to the kind and handsome prince who would fall in love with Cinderella.

" _Of course, Nana wouldn't participate. The two evil stepsisters and their tyrannical mother feared the young girl's charm. They were scared that if the prince ever attended the pageant, the moment he set his eyes on their pretty rival, he would fall in love her._ "

Heath finished that last bit before grabbing his glass and taking a sip as he maliciously eyed his long-haired best friend.

The story-telling truly drenched his throat and before he knew it, he was already done with his drink. Tasting the last droplets of juice on his tongue, he finally licked his lips in a last hydrating motion before resuming his story.

" _The next day, Nana obediently followed her step-sisters and step-mother to the town's most refined clothing shops and tailors. Shauna and Riko chose the gowns and accessories they thought to be the prettiest and luxurious, carefully following each piece of advice provided by their mother._

 _Nana simply followed them, amazed by the fine clothing and jewelry she spotted on the way that reminded her of her old lifestyle. Her hands were starting to feel numb as the number of items bought by her step-family only grew. Suddenly, Lady Diane made a halt, causing the poor girl to collide with her sisters and fall, dropping everything she was already struggling to fit in her arms._ "

Once again, the twins felt like sobbing but as tears were threatening to fall, the door to Ayumu's room carefully opened again. "I brought snacks!" Announced Nana the second she stepped in.

Riku, feeling the hunger poking his stomach was the first to get up and help his friend settle the tray and the table in a way that would be easy to access for everyone as they listened to Heath.

As Nana seated herself, Ayumu took care of updating her on the story so far. The mention of her name and those close to her made her slightly embarrassed as she threw a helpless glance at Heath who grinned back.

That grin somehow made her doubt the innocence of his story. She was very wary of his tale and the roles left to be mentioned. Thinking this, she discreetly eyed Kyosuke, hoping that the next part of the story wouldn't kill her of embarrassment.

Satisfied, Heath devoured half of his snack before steadying himself once more.

" _The young Nana didn't even try to understand what was wrong as she already started collecting the fallen items at her feet. However, Lady Diane didn't wait for her to compose herself that she said in a haughty and commanding voice "Cinderella. There is nothing left for us to dine on this evening. You will go on your own to buy food and I advise you to buy plenty." Nana gave up on gathering up the things on the ground as she got up, dust hanging on her poor excuse of a dress and_ answered _"As you wish Mother but―"_

 _Lady Diane eyed her with anger before she barked "You dare?". Nana, unafraid, simply continued "It's just that I can't shop for food while holding all of...this" she lowered her eyes, gesturing to the shopped items of this morning. Lady Diane gave her_ a scorn _and a mocking smile. "Who do you take me for? Don't be stupid, you will put these in the carriage for us. We will be leaving first." Hearing this, Nana was unreconciled with going back to the mansion by herself so late and without carriage unlike usual. She will have to carry the basket for the groceries alone and the thought was a bit displeasing. Yet, she replied, "Yes Mother."_

 _Giving her one last look of disgust, Lady Diane gestured for her daughters to follow her back to the carriage. As the two girls passed by Nana, they let out loud mocking snickers―_ "

"Tsk, tsk."

Heath stopped mid-sentence and glared at Hozumi. That fiend dared interrupt him and was actually recording his story on his phone.

"What the heck are you doing?"

"Language." Warned Kyosuke.

"What the heck are you doing?" Repeated the twins, amused by Heath's anger.

It was enough to have Kyosuke sigh in despair.

Hozumi simply snickered deviously at the scene, never pressing pause on his phone. "I just felt like giving a present to your sister for her birthday, that's all."

Heath rolled his eyes. As if! He knew that what Hozumi wanted was to just stir up trouble between him and his sisters. The whole team enjoyed his misery anyway.

"I fear that you won't be able to leave this house alive with that phone. I'm warning you Kohinata."

"Yeah sure. Riiiight."

To avoid a ring fight between her two seniors, Nana urged Heath to resume his tale, begging him to just let it go for now or else the twins will get impatient.

Heath received the message and simply let his shoulders fall in temporary defeat before resuming.

"Just you wait―" he eyed Hozumi " _Anyway, Lady Diane and her daughters left Nana by herself, taking the pretty gowns and jewelry with them along with the sole carriage they had. Nana just shrugged and got to work. On the way, she met with Takeru and Riku who offered their help as thanks for the other day. They kindly helped her choose the best of the best. Well―Only Riku helped. Takeru was an apprentice blacksmith who knew everything but academics and how to properly compose a real meal―_ "

"Pfft" let out Riku, to Takeru's unimpressed face.

" _However, being called back to their duty, they regrettably left Nana on her own once more, that is, until she had a nice encounter. As she struggled with her heavy basket, Nana tripped...again?" Added Heath tentatively. "The content of her basket was scattered on the ground before her. She hastily stood up, ignoring the bruises on her knees and palms as she hurriedly tried to put everything back in her basket until someone else squatted down to help her out._ "

"Wow. That was cliché." Said Hozumi with a grin, the phone never leaving his hand. Ayumu chuckled, taking a mouthful of chips, he remarked "It's supposed to be a fairy tale, Kohinata-san."

"I think I understand what you're trying to do." Muttered Kyosuke when his gaze landed on Heath.

The latter gave him a shocked look before smirking. "What? Why, yes! Of course, you do! I'm trying to tell the greatest tale ever." He teased.

Nana helplessly looked away from her seniors, looking a bit bashful. Heath's teasing surely went beyond this. This whole story was supposed to embarrass her to the fullest and unlike what Kyosuke said, he truly either enjoyed the story or his friend's plan.

The British boy chuckled a bit, looking more excited about telling the next part of the story. Before going on, he coughed dramatically. " _Cinderella―I mean_ Nana, _was helped by a very kind stranger. As she lifted her eyes to thank him, her gaze fell on a very handsome young man with long, silky white hair and equally light yet serious eyes. The young man helped her rearrange her basket and get up. "Thank you for your help." She muttered, trying to sound as collected as possible._ "

The more Heath said, the more Nana wanted to simply disappear or have an excuse to flee Ayumu's room. She absolutely avoided Kyosuke's gaze, which at some point of the tale, intently fell on her. Whether it was just curiosity or teasing, she didn't care. If only she didn't avoid it, even Takeru could discern the fondness in it.

" _The kind stranger smiled in response. Weirdly enough, despite his rather simple attire, his movements and behavior weren't very close to that of common townspeople. "Do you need any assistance with carrying your grocery basket?" Offered the young man. Nana eyed him doubtfully at first before discarding his offer and answering with an unrelated topic "My name is Nana.". The stranger, however, wasn't stupid "Right. My Apologies. I'm called-" he paused a second "My name is Heath."_

 _Nana, pleased with his response gave him a grin and a curt bow. "Thank you again for helping me just now. I think I might take you up on your offer." The young girl then blushed slightly and politely_ added _"Allow me to take advantage of your kindness once more."_

 _Heath gladly accepted and took the basket from her and escorted her back home. He knew he made the right choice in suggesting taking care of her groceries. How could a young girl be left walking home alone so late with such a heavy basket?_ "

The last few bits of Heath's story hooked the children. He used this short pause to nurture the suspense and evaluate his friends' expressions. Sure enough, his description of the kind gentlemanly stranger sent grins to his companions, although the most targeted one listened to his story as if he was totally unrelated, unlike Nana who looked like she was about to die of shame.

However, story time came to a sudden end when a young woman knocked at the door. Upon seeing her, the twins hopped and ran towards her as they chirped "Mama!".

Ayumu's aunt came to fetch her children, being back earlier than planned. She apologized to her nephew and his friends for the small hindrance but it appeared that they all had fun together. To her surprise, her boys were extremely reluctant to leave as they clung to Kyosuke, demanding of Heath to finish his story.

Unfortunately, their wish couldn't be fulfilled today. To avoid a tantrum, both Heath and Kyosuke promised that the next time they meet, Heath would make sure to not let them leave until he was done with his retelling. The long-haired boy, tried to reassure Ichiro and Kaze, offering to make a pinky-promise to enforce Heath's words. The small pair was unsure at first but they eventually accepted and made Heath swear on his Mama's life that he would finish the story for them.


	3. TALE 01, PARTITION 2: Cinderella

Hozumi sipped his third cup of tea of the afternoon, listening to his friends chatting or making fun of Ayumu's Teenage Mutant Turtles posters. Of course, that subject was very interesting but his impatience and curiosity over the remaining of Heath's revisited Cinderella tale was greater than the kids'.

Swallowing one last mouthful of the content of his warm cup, he noisily put it down on the table. The sound caught everyone's attention as they all focused their gaze on the blond athlete.

"Kohinata, if you break, you pay." Teased Heath.

Hozumi discarded Heath's comment with a grimace before saying "Why not finish your story? I kinda want to hear the rest."

The British boy raised an eyebrow, eyeing his junior and close friend curiously.

Hozumi though, wasn't the only one eager to have Heath continue his story as Riku voiced his own agreement of Hozumi's remark. Surprisingly, even Takeru seemed interested and caught up in the tale.

"It would be a good idea!" Smiled Ayumu as he looked at Kyosuke, urging him to persuade his friend into finishing what he started.

Kyosuke simply smiled back and added without looking at his best friend, half-focused on one of the books Ayumu just decided to lend him "Yes, why not." He eventually said.

Nana watched the whole ordeal, torn between her looking forward to the rest of the tale and her desire to crawl away from the house at the mention of it. As if having the others wanting to listen to it wasn't enough, even Kyosuke had to voice his agreement when he could just have remained silent like usual.

Somehow, she felt like he knew exactly where Heath was going and just enjoyed seeing her flustered about one small fictional and reality-adjusted tale made by yours truly. In a way, she doubted that he intentionally wanted to make her uncomfortable but he genuinely seemed to like the story.

The next moment their eyes met, his gaze softened and he smiled lovingly at her. She chose to let it go and not confront him or Heath about it. She just decided to enjoy the British boy's story-telling skills or she was just weak to that smile of his that made her want to snuggle in his arms.

Under the pressure and demands of the populate, Heath gave up to their desires and got up, huffing. "Fine! Fine! Be quiet people, I'll continue my story so shut the hell up and let me prepare."

Coughing for the drama, he climbed onto Ayumu's bed, making him situated higher than his friends who were comfortable already, using pillows on the floor.

" _Following where we left, the young miss, Nana had the opportunity to chat and inquire about the kind stranger called Heath. The young man claimed to be a page boy from the castle who loved spending his free time in town or near the river located next to the windmill in the west. He was very nice and polite to her, being as curious as her about each other. Obviously, both hit it off―ahem―I mean, got along very well. Upon arriving at the mansion, the pair seemed reluctant to part ways but Heath promised that they would be seeing each other whenever she was in town and that if she needed any help, she only had to call his name."_

 _Heath took a breath and arched his back towards his listeners "However, unknown to Nana, the page boy she met wasn't called Heath. His real name was Kyosuke and he was everything but a page boy as he was in fact, the son of the king, the prince himself. Afraid of being recognized and receiving favors or good treatment because of his status, he lied and borrowed the name of his best friend, a very handsome, talented, extraordinary and intelligent young count, the real Heath._ "

To his surprise, his self-insert earned him a few laughs and chuckles from his audience. Proud of his feat, he resumed " _Heath, whom we shall call Kyosuke was very used to sneaking out of the castle under his preceptor's nose to hang out in town. Only Heath knew of this and couldn't help but admire the prince's nature. Truly, half of his time was for fun and the other half was just him taking interest in his people's lifestyle and building his path as the future ruler of this peaceful kingdom. To complement today's good mood, during this outing, he was quite satisfied to have the opportunity to speak with the young girl called Nana._

 _For as you see, he actually noticed her a long time ago and couldn't shake her off his mind ever since. Today, he was overjoyed with succeeding in befriending her but his thoughts soon returned to reality the moment he stepped in the throne room after being called in by the King. The luxurious environment clearly stepped on the humble yet warm memories of the town and its people. The prince, having taken the time to change attires, appeared before his royal parents, collected as always._

 _Seeing his son before him, the king, a generous, shorty, blond man named―_ "

"―Heath-senpai!" Complained Hozumi.

Heath grinned evilly as he ignored his friend's interjection. He didn't care a bit about the boy's complex over his short stature. To him, he should be grateful that he didn't give him the role of the queen although he fitted the role of a princess better. In this regard, he was less sadistic than his older sister.

"Ah―So," continued Heath, a stretched smile never leaving his face, " _The King, Hozumi, took his son's greetings well and required that he listened to this grand news he wished to share with him._ "

Ayumu shifted in his sit "I have a bad feeling about what he'll say next." He whispered to himself.

"Sssh. Stop interrupting me." Ordered Heath before keeping up " _Kyosuke, doubtful of the great news his father wished to announce, eyed the fourth person present in the room. The Grand Duke Dai. A foul man by nature who managed to make himself needed by the King and the Queen. The man adjusted his glasses and didn't perform any salute towards the prince as his face remained expressionless like the little sh―_ "

"Heath." Uttered Kyosuke in warning.

Heath glared at the white-haired boy. Who is telling the story? You or me? I should be saying whatever the heck I want. " _Anyway, King Hozumi gestured for his asshole of a son..._ " the British boy eyed his best friend with a scorn while stressing out the last few words " _...to come closer before he said. "Dear son! Today is a joyful day! Grand Duke Dai is willing to have you as his son-in-law! You'll be marrying his adorable and talented daughter, Lady Ayumu!_ "

Laughter escaped the teenagers' lips. Ayumu himself found it very funny, although he previously had a bad feeling about it. He was an adorable and talented lady after all!

Nana as well, couldn't even care less about embarrassment at this point, she was too engrossed in the story and enjoyed Heath's humor greatly.

" _Shocked was the prince but, letting it show he didn't. He was already accustomed to his parents pestering him about marriage that at this point he shouldn't be surprised that they chose a fiancée for him but he was still determined to marry whoever he wanted._

 _The Grand Duke, being as stern looking as ever simply said "I hope his Highness will take good care of my only daughter." The poor prince was stunned into silence, not even knowing what else to add. He couldn't even get angry. After a moment he simply stared at the Duke_ _then at his father before curtly replying "No thank you." and leaving the throne room totally dumbfounded._

 _And as soon as he left, he looked for his awesome and super cool best friend to complain, which he never did but this was the biggest emergency and catastrophic announcement of his life. The young Heath_ , _generously offered a listening ear and wisely advised "You should discuss things over with your father again or...make the lad hate you so hard that she'd beg her dad to marry her to the kingdom's best executioner_ ".

"That's the worst advice I've ever heard." Commented Kyosuke with a small chuckle.

Heath looked and shrugged his shoulders "Not my fault that you can't recognize greatness when you see it."

Nana laughed whole-heartedly to the story with the other boys. With a grin, she urged Heath to continue.

" _Kyosuke listened well and in a heartbeat answered, "I'll go with having a discussion with my father." His great friend sighed and simply said "Your loss." And unfortunately, as Heath predicted, when Kyosuke decided to confront King Hozumi the following day, the father couldn't care less about his son's reasons. Not only he persisted in giving his son to the daughter of Duke but decided that a week after the annual summer pageant, he would organize a grand ball to celebrate the engagement._

 _Kyosuke decided to retreat for the moment but didn't give up on changing his father's mind. Not only he didn't wish to marry someone he didn't love, but unfortunately, that lady's father was the Grand Duke, an evil man who only wished to gain control of the kingdom through his daughter. With one last sigh, he returned to his quarters._

 _On the same day though, our young_ heroine, _was busy from sunrise to sunset. Lady Diane, on edge after receiving notice of an important man's visit to their mansion, was even less tolerable than usual and so were her daughters. They made the poor Nana work a hundred times more, clean every single cranny of the house and prepare the greatest feast she could. Without complaint, Nana did as she was told, wondering all the while about this mysterious guest, so important that they would stir up the family._

 _Hardworking and talented as she was, Nana prepared a refined and delicious dinner. As excited as her step-family, she decided to not meddle in their affairs._

 _As fate wanted it, the "esteemed" guest was no one other than the Grand Duke. He knew that Lady Diane had three daughters and being a father of two, wished to suggest a marriage between his household and hers._

 _During dinner, they discussed this important issue that rendered Lady Diane bitter. She didn't wish to give her daughters to the Duke. The only man fit for them was the prince himself but after pondering for a while, she excused herself and looked for Nana._

 _Once she did, she said "Dear Nana, today you will join us for dinner. I expect you to dress decently before meeting with the Grand Duke."_ Nana, _surprised accepted but replied, "I will do as mother wishes but sadly, I do not hold any other clothes other than my aprons and worn out dresses." Lady_ Diane, _annoyed still made the young girl follow her to Riko's room and picked an old dress her daughter no longer used. After doing so, she ordered Nana to wear it and attend dinner with them._

 _The young girl did as she was told and introduced herself to the Duke much to her sisters' despair. However, everything was part of Lady Diane's scheme. She didn't wish for her daughters to marry the Duke's son but she could relieve herself of Cinderella if she made her marry him._

 _And as if the heavens supported her plan, Grand Duke seemed charmed by the little lady. He didn't think twice about having her as a daughter-in-law. For I should mention, her manners were perfect and despite the old dress, she shined thanks to her beauty and warm soul._

 _Sadly, it wasn't until the Duke suggested that he visits once more with his son that Nana understood what Lady Diane wanted to do. Feeling betrayed, she didn't utter a word as she resumed her work as a maid._ "

Heath marked a small pause at this moment as his voice gradually went lower. This simple change of tone showed the heaviness of the scene, heaviness clearly felt by his audience, surprised with such skill coming from him.

Satisfied, he resumed " _The next day, Nana went on an errand for her sisters. She happily accepted; glad to be away from the mansion for a while. As she looked through the shops and stalls, trying her best to forget about the Grand Duke, she met eye to eye_ ―Eye to chest?" Heath's gaze fell on Kyosuke "How tall are you again? Even if Nana hopped I bet she couldn't reach your neck. Hozumi neither by the way."

Hozumi looked utterly outraged while Nana didn't seem to mind much. However, she had to physically restrain the blond senior with Ayumu's help to avoid bloodshed.

Heath snickered but didn't react. "Okay, okay. Anyway. _The young girl suddenly met with Kyosuke, who as you may know, first introduced himself as Heath. For Nana, it was the first pleasant surprise in days. Kyosuke actually did notice her first and was already walking towards her. Upon reaching her, he smiled warmly and greeted her before noticing her poor complexion._ " _Lady Nana, you look unwell. Are you perhaps tired? I can gladly take care of your errands for you if you wish so." He offered. The young girl was very touched by his generosity but refused with a bitter smile. "No need. I am not tired." Nana's voice trailed off before she fell silent._

 _Worried, Kyosuke led her away from the crowded marketplace to the central fountain of the town. He sat her down on the marble and asked "Is something troubling you?" Nana, feeling deep down that she could trust him answered "In fact, yes. I suspect that my Mother wants to marry me off." The prince, although taken aback by the news, allowed her to tell her tale without interrupting once. It wasn't until she finished that he dared speak "It seems that you do not wish to marry that person." The young lady chuckled sarcastically "How could I? I do not wish to marry someone I do not know nor love." Kyosuke smirked back and added "Having the Grand Duke as a father-in-law is not pleasant either."_

 _The prince spent the next hour comforting Lady Nana prior aiding her with her errands and before the two parted for the day, he promised that he would help her out of that sudden engagement. His promise, while making Nana very happy, made her also wonder about how he would fulfill it with his status."_

Heath eyed his audience. He was incredibly satisfied with their silence and focused stares. They haven't interrupted him once. Not a single sound, cough or sneeze. For this whole latest part, only his voice could be heard in the room's silence. Taking another breath, he resumed _"Days, weeks and months passed. As they went by, Lady Nana learned that Kyosuke never broke a promise he made to her. Indeed, not long after he promised to help her get away of her Mother's wedding plans for her, the Grand Duke returned, announcing that regretfully, the King had decreed that the Duke's son was to be wed to the daughter of an infamous marquis._

 _Nana was, of course, overjoyed with the news and thanked Kyosuke as soon as she saw him. However, aside from this small event, it had to be brought to light that the feelings the pair shared gradually melted into something way sweeter, more tender and passionate than_ close _friendship. Yet the two never dared to voice those feelings._

 _Time passed as summer settled in the kingdom. The day of the pageant drew near and Lady Diane, along with her daughters was busy getting prepared. She had to make sure that at least one of her daughters won the competition and she knew that her beauty skills and advice would be helpful to Lady Shauna and Lady Riko._ "

"The kids aren't here anymore, do you still need to portray Lady Diane as the evilest being on Earth?" joked Hozumi

Heath crossed his arms and shrugged "Too late to change it. I'm sticking with it now."

"I will be praying for you." Whispered Kyosuke as he gestured to Hozumi's phone.

Heath shuddered but chose to not respond and continue his story " _Nana's household seemed under fire as everyone was getting busy because of the pageant. Today again, Nana followed her stepmother and stepsisters to the tailor and took advantage of it to wander around in town, highly uninterested with her stepfamily's matters._

 _She strolled for a while before walking toward the town's main fountain. Her mood rose up a whole new level when she spotted Kyosuke who stared, dazed, at the ground. The young girl greeted him politely but was soon surprised by his forlorn gaze. Worried she asked, "You seem particularly disoriented today, is something the matter?"_

 _The young man sighed and smiled bitterly as he shook his head. "Not really. I'm_ slightly _…overwhelmed because of work."_

 _Nana looked at him perplexed. If anything, she wasn't easily duped. She guessed early on that Kyosuke lied about his identity. Once, she tried asking for him at the castle but obviously, the only person called 'Heath' was actually the prince's study partner but he had short, brown and equally matching dark eyes. Nothing like the young man she was used to._

 _Yet, Nana didn't mention it. Maybe he had his reasons to lie about it and she wouldn't question it and as for what he meant by being 'overwhelmed by work', she didn't quite understand it either._ "

Heath marked a pause to catch his breath. Surprisingly, he was quite proud of himself for being able to come up with all of this on a whim. As the youngest kid in the family, he was used to being the one listening to fairytales from his parents and siblings, not the other way around.

"Your boasting is blinding." Remarked Kyosuke in an attempt to draw his friend back to reality.

Heath's simple response was a groan and two strong coughs before opening his mouth to resume his story "Trying to lift her friend's mood, Nana engaged into small talk " _The pageant is drawing near. My sisters are very excited about it. They are currently trying on the dresses they commissioned the tailor to make." Kyosuke's smile went from being bitter to self-mocking in a flash. "Is that so? I never understood the use of this pageant anyway." Nana chuckled kindly but her expression looked exhausted "They are trying to catch the prince's interest. That's mother's wish." She answered._

 _The young man looked at her, eyebrow raised in puzzlement. "What about you then? Aren't you supposed to be with them."_

 _Nana looked startled by his question and slightly hesitant as to whether she should answer or not. She remembered that Kyosuke only knew her name but she never told him anything else other than that._

 _And he too never asked about it. The last time he meddled with her family's matters was to help her out of a marriage she didn't want. Truthfully, asking for a decree for the Duke from his doting father was of no issue for him. He needn't pry into her identity or family in order to do so._

 _The young girl let out a long sigh, debating whether or not she should tell him her story. In the end, she simply resumed. "I'm not with them because I'm not Mother's true daughter. It's nothing much, you know how stepmothers are!"_

 _Kyosuke seemed unsatisfied with her answer but was smart enough to guess she didn't wish to say more, however, that small reply was enough and it gave him enough material to ponder over. A stepmother who favored her blood-daughters more than her husband's daughter wasn't exceptional._

 _In the end, the young man warmly_ said _"I may assume that she doesn't wish for you to catch the prince's attention because she is afraid that your beauty over-shadows her daughters'."_

 _"Smooth." Interrupted Hozumi._

 _The comment earned him a few laughs from the others._

 _"I wonder if that's something Kuga-senpai would say." Wondered Riku as he cast furtive glances at his white-haired senior._

 _Heath put a finger on his chin "Probably―Would you?" he asked the man in question directly._

 _Kyosuke faintly smiled and echoed his captain as he glanced teasingly at the other party involved "Probably."_

 _Heath looked at him half-irked, half-impressed by his answer but eventually decided to ignore him. "Anyway, let me continue._

 _Upon hearing Kyosuke's obvious compliment. Nana blushed_ being _the young, nice, unmarried girl that she was.―er…―She looked away, afraid to meet his gaze and ended up replying "That's…I doubt it. My older sisters are really beautiful."_

 _The young man didn't embarrass her further, though bemused and decided to leave it to that. The prince didn't know whether he was glad or disappointed that she wouldn't participate in the pageant. He was highly tempted by inviting her to the ball but personally inviting the girl he was tried so hard to court to his 'engagement' ball was disrespectful to both parties involved._

 _Yet, today, more than ever, he wished to know the young lady's opinion of the prince and decided to ask. Nana looked at him perplexed but otherwise didn't show much emotion. She obviously didn't think about royalty much or simply didn't care at all._

 _"Have you ever thought about marrying the prince like your sisters?_ "

"―Sorry to interrupt you guys…" timidly voiced Ayumu. "It's getting a bit late."

Everyone's gaze landed on the window. Indeed, the sky was fading to black and as much as they wanted to sleep over, today wouldn't be possible.

Heath heavily stirred before getting up. His fellow teammates imitated him to various degrees in terms of seriousness depending on the person.

Ayumu kindly followed his team to send them off, slightly disappointed to not have been able to hear the end of the story.

After Heath and Kyosuke dropped off Nana last, both runners walked aimlessly in the neighborhood, now illuminated by the street lamps.

Heath was slightly displeased about having to separate from his best friend so soon. It has been more than a year since he last enjoyed hang it out with Kyosuke after the incident. It was more than natural for him to wish to return to the ol' good days.

Thus, Heath refused to split and ended up following Kyosuke back home, deciding one-sidedly that he would abuse the Kuga family's hospitability like he used to before.

After both of them had dinner, much to Kyosuke's mother's happiness, Heath shamelessly snuggled in his friend's bed, leaving the original owner sleeping on the floor like an undesired guest.

"I wonder if you ever invited her to your house." He muttered, staring down at his long-haired friend who had his back to him.

"Hn."

"Was that a 'yes' or a 'no'."

"The former."

"Oh~"

"Don't let your imagination wander off." Sighed Kyosuke, slightly exasperated.

"Why not? Oh well―Honestly I'd kill you if you crossed the line. Look at her so sweet, so innocent, so trusting―"

"Heath."

"Fine, fine. Want me to tell you the end of the story?"

Receiving no response from Kyosuke, Heath decided that whether his silence 'yes' or 'no', he would proceed anyway.

"Ahem― _After his fortunate meeting with Nana, the young prince promptly decided to have an audience with his father to ask him to change the purpose of the ball that was organized after the pageant. The King Hozumi seemed a bit surprised but decided to agree to his son's request, wondering if the reason behind his son's change of mind was a lady._

 _With the summer pageant done, the winning ladies were automatically asked to attend the ball and join the court, which widened their marriage prospects. Lady Shauna and Lady Riko beautifully made it to the top three and although Nana didn't get along with her sisters, she was still proud of them._

 _With a few days left before the ball. Nana had a change of mind, wishing to attend and have fun for once. Her true wish was to meet her town confident who assured that he lived in the royal castle._

 _Looking through some old dresses that she managed to salvage, Nana found her mother's old ball dress and although it was out of fashion, Nana worked hard to make it presentable and to suit her tastes. The week was lively despite the suspiciously increasing workload at the manor. Yet, Nana was too excited to care after having earned a promise out of her stepmother to allow her to attend the ball is she managed to finish all her chores and duties by the end of the week._

 _The fateful day came up and Nana, satisfied with her dress and the state of the manor was busy making herself ready. As soon as she finished, she ran after her step-family which was about to step out. "Mother, please wait for me! Look, I managed to look presentable for the ball!" she said sweetly as she whirled around with her dress._

 _Lady Diane eyed hair dangerously and interrogated. "Are you done with the chores?"_

 _Nana nodded._

 _"The curtains?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"The carpets?"_

 _"Food stocks?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"The wine cave?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"The rooms, the attic, the stables, the windows, the roof, the garden, the farm, and the kitchen?"_

 _Nana nodded eagerly._

 _"Then you can come." Faintly answered Lady Diane under the protesting stares of her daughters._

 _Yet, everything was going too well to be true. Lady Riko's protesting stare turned into a furious glare towards Nana. "Aren't you wearing my earrings?"_

 _"But―Mother gifted them to―"_

 _"And my pearls?" chipped in Shauna._

 _Both sisters aimed to find fault with Nana's outfit as they ruined it or tore the fabric with Lady Diane doing naught to stop them until they came with a satisfying result._

 _"Now, now girls. This is not how a lady should behave." Then she turned towards Nana, her wavy curls_ following _suit "Look at you, poor thing. You do not expect me to bring you with us…like this?"_

 _With a smile, she left the manor, her daughters after her._

 _Nana, heartbroken, stood motionless for a long while before a sob finally escaped her lips. As if a dam was opened after years of staying tightly closed. The young girl fell to her knees and cried out all the bitterness she felt for years._

 _As she cried, Nana failed to notice the changing atmosphere around―_ H-hey, did you fall asleep?"

"No." simply answered Kyosuke.

Honestly speaking, he would have if the story simply featured characters called "Cinderella" and "The Prince" but in this case, the most frequently mentioned name was the sweet one he daily voiced both out loud and in his mind. Thus, he didn't dare miss out on anything Heath said.

"Good, then as I was saying― _As she cried, Nana failed to notice the changing atmosphere around her. A faint, warm light glowed by her side as she felt a comforting hand, gently caressing her hair as a father would. Then, a smooth voice carefully asked "Dear child, why are you crying so?"_

 _Nana didn't lift her head but her sobs weakened as she_ answered _"I'm tired."_

 _The smooth voice asked once more with a hint of teasing "Is that so? Why wish to go to a ball if you are tired?"_

 _Nana abruptly lifted her head "How did you―Excuse me, who are you?"_

 _The glowing man softly laughed as he helped her up on her feet. "I'm your fairy godfather, your heart gave birth to me my dear child. I'm called Koichi."_

 _Nana eyed him curiously before she_ said _"My name is Nana…you―You said my heart gave birth to you?"_

 _Koichi nodded with a laugh "Yes! I'm here because of the hopes and dreams you hold in your heart since you were a child. Look at you, now a grown, strong young woman."_

 _"Then…"_

 _"I'm here to help you, dear child! Do you want to attend the ball? Then allow me to assist you."_

 _Following that, Koichi asked for a pumpkin, mice, and dogs. Those requests sounded peculiar but Nana obeyed nonetheless._

 _Much to her surprise, the pumpkin turned into a majestic carriage, the mice transformed into exquisite, vigorous horses while the dogs became human driver and lackey._

 _"And now, the main course." He said as he turned to Nana._

 _With a wave of his wand, Nana's wretched dress magically became a magnificent ball gown, beautiful and refreshing, reflecting the young girl's soul with perfection. And as if it weren't wonderful enough, the outfit was completed with delicate glass slippers. Needless to say, Nana looked enchanting._

 _"Look at you, all ready to go!"_

 _The young girl looked gratefully at her godfather as she almost choked on another sob. "Thank you."_

 _Koichi urged her into the carriage before his voice turned serious without losing in kindness. "Listen well, the magic wears off at midnight. At the twelfth stroke of midnight, everything will go back to the way it was. Be careful."_

 _The fairy godfather saw her off and waved at her before disappearing as magically as he appeared._

 _The journey to the castle only served the purpose of building up Nana's excitement. She was the last to arrive and the guards were all obviously mesmerized by her. She tried to make her way into the ballroom, with music floating in the air. Few were dancing, ladies, unmarried or not were already entranced by the prince's natural charm and some men discussed over a glass of wine._

 _From her spot, she managed to find her stepmother and her daughters, the woman urging the two ladies to greet the prince and that's when she understood._

 _The young man she has been getting along with for all these months, the young with whom she shared so much, the young man who helped her out whether she asked him or not and the young man she fell in love with was actually the prince himself, disguised as a commoner._

 _Of all the identities she thought of, the prince wasn't amongst them. She was truly at loss about what to feel._

 _As she was lost in her own world, Kyosuke was getting impatient and bored. To him, balls were already boring. He always sneaked away with his best friend to avoid attending and dying of boredom in the process. While trying to shake off his father's persistent glare, he noticed the petite figure that was almost passing back and forth in place. He wouldn't mistake her for anyone else. A small smile finally blossomed on his face as he stood up and walked up to her._

 _Nana eventually broke off her reverie when she heard an all too familiar voice behind her, asking "Would you do me the honor of this dance my lady?"_

 _Hand extended, handsomely dressed, the face she was so used to_ smiled _at her. Caught by surprise, she stuttered before agreeing. The two danced gracefully under the myriad of surprised, envious, admiring stares of the audience. The happiest among them was the King's, and the most dissatisfied was_ surprisingly _, the Duke's._

 _Another dance later, Kyosuke led Nana to the gardens, away from the loud festivities he was so displeased at. Unknown to them, they were followed by the Duke who met halfway with Lady Diane._

 _"Why so silent?" asked Kyosuke, albeit teasingly._

 _"You should know why!" retorted the young girl._

 _Kyosuke chuckled in relief, previously afraid that she might treat him like a stranger or worse, like a prince. "You are right. Truthfully, I simply dress up as a page boy for fun. The castle can be very suffocating at times and as for me not saying anything…"_

 _"You were afraid I would treat you differently?" she finished before looking again, a hint of determination in her eyes "I will not."_

 _Both were engrossed in chatting, forgetting about the time and place, like they were used to on these afternoons in town. But as time passed, the atmosphere shifted with it and both fell silent. Nana quietly admired the garden around her, whether it was deliberate or not was unknown―_ Hey, why do I feel like you're dozing off." Stopped Heath abruptly.

"Your imagination."

"Bastard."

"You should be clear on whether you want me to listen to you quietly and obediently or wish for me to interrupt every three words. Your choice."

It's the first time in two days that Kyosuke said more than five words in a single sentence yet, it was only to mock Heath. The young man felt unhappy. His friend didn't speak much so this time it sounded more like a true miracle.

"Fine, fine. Don't worry I'm almost done. If you'd like I can even change the rating of the story to make it more in accordance to your des―"

"Heath, please."

"As you wish! _―Nana quietly admired the garden around her, whether it was deliberate or not was unknown. Until she felt a_ _light_ _yet discernible pressure on her hand. Startled, she looked away from the flowers, only for her gaze to meet Kyosuke's serious one. He simply held her hand, silently as his head slightly leaned in. Unconsciously, Nana imitated him and as he was about to speak, a loud, baritone, ring of a bell resonated. Announcing to the kingdom it was midnight._

 _Nana jolted to her feet, startling the young man beside her and before he could ask anything, she turned to him, unwillingness all over her face. "I-I'm really sorry I have to go." She murmured, sorry and guilty._

 _Kyosuke seemed alarmed, obviously not prepared to let her go as he caught her wrist. "Wait―" however, once he noticed her eyes brimming with unshed tears, his will wavered and it was enough for Nana to shake off his hands and flee. As soon as he felt his empty hand, Kyosuke regained his composure and ran after her. As understood that she chose the most difficult paths to lose him, he felt even more determined in catching her._

 _In the meantime, Nana finally reached the ballroom and took advantage of the crowd to hide from the prince. Another strike rang out, only adding into her fear. She knew Kyosuke was hot on her heels and as she reached the main entrance, she noticed her own carriage driving in, her lackey urging her to be quicker._

 _Running down the stairs, trying hard to forget about the pain she felt in her lungs and legs, Nana almost tripped and lost her right glass slipper. She was about to bend down and pick it up but eventually decided against and reached her carriage in a jump as the horses were whipped to run at full speed. The young girl missed the look of defeat as Kyosuke carefully took her lost slipper in his hands and started barking orders to the guards._

 _However, he was too late. By the time the twelfth stroke of midnight rang out, Nana was far, very far from the castle, walking tiredly with wretched clothing, two dogs by her side and a few mice scurrying after her._

 _The next morning, the King Hozumi was harassing his beloved son, asking him about the mysterious lady he was so attached to. Kyosuke looked a bit lost. He only knew her name. Her household and where she lived were information he wasn't aware of. The young man admitted it all to his father and it didn't take long for him to announce that starting this very day, his most trusted duke would tour around the kingdom to make every lady try on the glass slipper._

 _The search lasted days and days whereas Kyosuke tried to focus his mind with his own hidden agenda after failing to convince his father into narrowing the search to the town outside the castle. He sent his own men, guards trained to remain hidden and covert to look for Nana, providing them with all the information he held. His efforts proved to be awarded soon enough._

 _Finally, a fine Sunday morning, Lady Diane welcomed the Duke into the manor. Formally dressed along with her two daughters. She carefully made sure Nana wouldn't be able to step out of her room and ruin her efforts and plotting._

 _As expected, Lady Shauna and Lady Riko couldn't wear the slipper yet, the Duke didn't seem to have any intention of leaving, taking his time to have a cup of tea with Lady Diane. His followers seemed a bit surprised but didn't dare to oppose until one of them, a tall brown-haired man who was otherwise known as Heath, the prince's study partner and best friend asked. "Lady Diane, are Lady Shauna and Lady Riko the only girls of the household?"_

 _Lady Diane stiffened but her expression remained unchanged. "Of course but truthfully speaking, we just have another servant around the same age. Obviously, you do not expect a maid to attend a royal ball!"_

 _Lady Riko added as well "Not to hide it from you, we asked her to remain in the kitchen, we do not wish to dirty the Duke's eyes."_

 _Heath, however, was a persistent young man. "I'm aware of that but the decree asked for **every** young lady to try on the slipper. It would be quite unfair if we didn't abide by his Majesty's words."_

 _Heath's every word were aimed at the Duke, unfortunately, the man didn't budge._

 _Yet, another voice came up. "I believe so as well. My father's decrees are not for show."_

 _At the door, the highly sought after yet a bit feared crown prince, followed by a few guards directly borrowed from his father._

 _"Am I disturbing the Duke and Lady's afternoon tea? Discussing rebellion plans sure looks pleasant."_

 _Added Kyosuke, his voice heavy in sarcasm._

 _By simply seeing Kyosuke before them, the Duke and Lady Diane knew that they lost._

 _Ordered by the prince, Lady Diane climbed up to the attic, Nana's room. Cinderella's room. With a double turn of her key, she opened the door, her head held low as she stepped away to allow the prince to enter._

 _Nana, wearing her usual dress, already white from being washed too much and her apron, remained unmoving as she stared out the window, humming her mother's favorite song. It wasn't until she felt someone embracing her from behind that she trembled, stepping out of her trance._

 _And with that Kyosuke murmured in her ears "Finally caught you."_ ―And done! I'm amazing, right? Didn't know I had it in me!" boasted Heath as he stirred before crossing his arms behind his head.

"Hn. I'm equally impressed." Honestly replied Kyosuke "I think that you should put this much effort into Dan-sensei's classes to get a passing great."

"Bullshit. It should be at least an eighty."

"Hn. Right. Eighty."

It was the last thing Kyosuke said before finally drifting off to sleep. Heath though, was still awake, thinking as he came up with an idea.

With that, he closed his eyes, allowing his consciousness to fade.


End file.
